Muttanam-moyaganam means One who becomes free and makes
others free' - such is the description of the souls like the
great Mahavira. After thirty long years of wanderings for the
spread of the gospel of non-violence and peace, the master spent
his last Caturmasa' (four months of say for rainy season)
at Pavapuri. It is in this way that his initial second discourse
was fruitful and he started his march of victory. Three months of
his four monthly stay were over and the end of the dark half of
the month of kartika was coming near. The master saw that it was
the time for his soul to leave the last of its earthly
connections. At that time (according to kalpasutra) eighteen
confederate kings of Kasa and Kosala, nine Licchavis, and nine
Mallas and many others had gathered for his Darsana. Before his
(Nirvana) the master gave his last discourse showing how sinful
life ends in a series of painful events, and how the life devoted
to virtues like non-violence and truth ends in peace, tranquility
and happiness. Ganadhara Sudharma who survived the master has
recorded this discourse in the scripture called
Uttaradhyayana-sutra'.

The master was conscious of the attachment which Indra-bhuti
Gautam, his principle disciple, had for him. He wanted Gautam to
shed away this attachment, an obstacle to his attainment of
Kaivalya. He therefore, sent Gautam away on a mission so that he
may not witness his end.

After finishing his last discourse the master went into final
meditation called Sukla Dhyana' and gave up his mortal
frame after midnight of the last day of the dark half of the
month of kartika. The assemblage of kings and others, gathered
there declared: "Since the light of intelligence is gone,
let there be an illumination of the material matter." Thence
for wards it became the day of illumination- the day called
Dipavali- to commemorate the illumination of knowledge made in
the psyche of contemporary Indian society. The grateful nation
still commemorates this day as the day of illumination, the
Dipavali day when every hut and palace in every corner of India
is illuminated with lights. It is this light of non-violence and
truth which inspired, the father of our nation Mahatma Gandhi who
carried the torch of illumination ever to the murky field of
politics.